Be it a personal relationship or a professional one, a breakdown in communication does not bode well for its future. In fact, analyze negative business case studies and you will see that they all stem from a failure to communicate effectively at some juncture that snowballed into a major crisis. However, not all communication setbacks have to end in catastrophe.
Here are five types of breakdowns in communication common to the modern workplace, as well as strategies to deal with such scenarios.
Misaligned Priorities
No two people or teams will align perfectly in terms of how they perform a task, or at what speed. This is usually a minor issue but prolonged misalignment often will lead to unnecessary friction and miscommunication.
Recognize that this scenario can be avoided if you, as the leader, plan projects in accordance with the different traits and idiosyncrasies of individual team members. Of course, this solution demands that you know and understand each of them well. If that is not feasible, for example, if you have been parachuted into the position, a team meeting before you start could provide insight into the right approach.
Personality Clashes
Misaligned personalities can cause even more paralysis than misaligned priorities. Be especially vigilant of such conflict as it can become the bedrock from which stems every other problem.
Note also that there often is no single “right” or “wrong” party but rather two individuals who apply their unique frames of reference to a situation. In their own eyes, they are conducting themselves correctly.
This is another issue that can be avoided with the right planning and staffing. Where possible, allow each party to thrive in their own sphere without infringing on the other’s boundaries. However, follow this up with conflict resolution training as it is not your role to act as peacemaker at the expense of the organization’s priorities.
Overcommunication
Too much information can be just as detrimental to a project as a lack of communication. Two common scenarios are sudden information dumps, where a large volume of data is shared at once, and overusing CC for emails, which increases the likelihood that recipients miss more important correspondence.
Counter the first situation by setting situations where direct communication, either face-to-face or over the phone are preferred. Tighten the data flow by asking employees to limit critical information to three or five data points at a time.
Employees can easily circumvent the second scenario from arising by taking a moment to decide who needs the information they are sharing. As always, reach out today to get started.
